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Liza Soberano Explains Decision To Change Management

“It was, in fact, the first real choice I made myself, for myself.”

Liza Soberano has been the talk of the town following her revelations in her latest vlog entry on February 26.

In the vlog, she explained her decision of leaving Star Magic and the management of Ogie Diaz, her discoverer.

She then joined Careless Music, the management company owned by James Reid.

More or less, Soberano says that she wants to “decide my own path.” She also says doesn’t want to be “unfair to myself.”

READ: Liza Soberano Hires New Management In Bid For Hollywood Stardom

Here’s a recap of Soberano’s revelation about her career move.

Liza Soberano chooses herself

According to Soberano, she was approached by “so many different managements before.” However, with Careless, “it was the first time” she was asked what she wants for her career.

Admittedly, Soberano knows that some people and fans were dismayed with her decision. It even came to a point that she was affected by these comments.

However, she explains, “But what they didn’t understand was that I chose a team that wanted to support my vision rather than laying one out for me. I struggled with how some people were disappointed and upset with my decision, even started doubting myself.”

She further stresses: “Many thought I had changed. But that wasn’t change. It was, in fact, the first real choice I made myself, for myself.”

“I was never really asked for my input”

Soberano goes on to say that most of her projects had her only working with one main co-star.

She does not name the co-star but, obviously, she is talking about Enrique Gil. Gil is the other half of the LizQuen love team and Soberano’s real-life boyfriend.

She says, “I am 25 years old now and I think people forget that I’ve been working for 13 years now, since I was 12 years old. I’ve been in six feature films, over 500 episodes of teleseryes and have only really dabbled into three main genres—romance, comedy and drama. Since I was 16, I had only really worked side by side with one main co-star, with the same production company, rotating around the same three directors.”

All those years, Soberano reitarates: “I was never really asked for my input, my thoughts, my ideas.”

While she is aware that it would be “easier to just to stick to what has been working for me,” she does not want to be unfair to herself, Hope Soberano.

Hope is Soberano’s real name until she used the screen Liza in 2013.

She continues, “I know and I understand [that] it’s unfair to all the Liza Soberano fans, all the LizQuen fans. But I hope you understand that by doing so, by giving in to the pressure of doing what everybody else wants for me, I’m being unfair to myself, Hope Soberano.”

“I’ve sacrificed my childhood, I’ve sacrificed my freedom, and I’ve sacrificed my happiness to present Liza Soberano to the world. And I think I’ve earned the right to finally be me, to finally be able to do things for me, as Hope Soberano. I’ve embarked on a fresh new chapter and I’m finally taking control of my life, pursuing dreams that I’ve always had a hold off on.”

She says about her new journey, “It’s exciting, it’s terrifying, it’s anxiety-filled and it’s confusing. But what I know for sure is that for the first time, I’m finally living my life for me.”

Liza Soberano and her latest campaign

The next day, on February 27, 2023, Soberano was launched as the newest brand ambassador of Maya. She also takes on the role as the brand’s Chief Advocacy Officer.

The commercial was set in a Zoom meeting where Soberano was giving suggestions on how her ad should look like.

The ad even included one of her iconic scenes in the movie “My Ex and Whys.” The scene served as a take-off point for Soberano to propose new twists for her ad. When she is called “Liza” in the meeting, she corrected the person and said, “Call me…” and the screen then flashes: “Hope presents Liza.”

During the press launch, Soberano was revealed to have co-created the ad campaign.

She says during the launch, “The past year has given me an opportunity to reflect on what I want for my life and my career. And when it comes to brands, I’ve decided to be more intentional about my partnerships. I want to work with brands that resonate with me personally, with products I actually use, and with companies I believe in.”

Ogie Diaz’s reaction

As expected, there were mixed reactions regarding Soberano’s vlog. But among these, people are only waiting for one person to react on Soberano’s statements: Ogie Diaz. Diaz is Soberano’s discoverer and former manager.

On February 28, Diaz uploaded a YouTube video where he shared his thoughts about the issue.

Diaz says, “Gusto ko na lang unawain at intindihin ang kanyang kuwento tungkol sa 13 years ng kanyang showbiz career. Kung sinasabi ni Liza na parang kinokontrol siya ng mga tao sa paligid niya, kung ako man yan at sa Star Magic, gusto kong magpasalamat kay Liza. Kasi sinunod niya kami, kaya siguro sumikat siya.

Imadyinin ninyo kung walang nangyari sa career ni Liza noong hawak ko siya at ng Star Magic, malamang iba ang narating niya ngayon. At least, okay na yan kaysa naman nagra-rant dahil walang magandang bagay na nangyari sa career, di ba?”

Diaz also says his piece about Soberano’s statement regarding not being asked for her input in her projects.

Talking to the camera, Diaz tells Soberano “Anak, lagi kang binibigyan ng chance to say your piece, your opinion, your suggestion. Pinapakinggan ka rin naman pag may complaints ka. Pero minsan, di ba, we have to meet halfway? Pinagbibigyan mo naman ang production pag nilambing ka nila and I thank you for that. Pakikisama ang tawag doon, anak. Pagtatanim para, in the future, may aanihin. Kapag may ayaw ka, anak, isinaalang-alang din nila yun, di ba?”

He also reminds Soberano, “Tandaan mo, anak, narating mo ang fame hindi lang dahil sa akin at ng Star Magic, ng ABS-CBN, at ng production staff. Dahil din yan sa dedication mo sa trabaho, dahil yan sa ‘yo. Kaya palakpakan mo rin ang sarili mo, ah. Lahat ng ito, ng narating mo, pinaghirapan mo yan, anak, para mabigyan ng magandang buhay ang pamilya. Sila ang inspirasyon mo, kaya minahal mo rin ang career mo.”

From Hope to Liza Soberano

Diaz also sheds light about another angle that Soberano raised: not choosing her screenname Liza.

He explains, “Yung sinabi mo na ‘I didn’t choose the name Liza; it was chosen for me.’ Anak, yung screen name na Liza Soberano na ibinigay sa ‘yo ni Tita Malou Santos ng Star Cinema, yan ang nagtaguyod sa pamilya mo. Nabigyan mo ng bahay at magandang buhay ang daddy mo, nakakapagpadala ka rin ng tulong sa mommy mo sa States. Naibili mo ng bahay sa Amerika ang lola at lolo mo na kumupkop sa inyo ng kapatid mong si Justin nung mga bata pa kayo sa Amerika. Lahat yan dahil sa ‘yo, dahil sa pagiging Liza Soberano mo, anak. Mas issue siguro yung screen name kung tumatak sa mga utak ng tao, ng mga Pilipino, kung hindi ka tinangkilik.”

In the end, Diaz wishes his former talent a good luck with her new journey. “Ito anak, ha? Wa echos ito. I wish you good luck sa bagong bihis na Liza Soberano. Alam mo ito, lagi kong sinasabi kahit kanino. Malaki ang utang na loob ko sa ‘yo. Dahil ang mga kinita ko sa ‘yo bilang manager ang pinambabayad ko sa hospitalization ng inaanak mong si Meerah Khel noong 2017, na six years old na siya ngayon.”

Noong naghiwalay tayo bilang manager-talent, sabi ko sa ‘yo, basta may concerns ka, problema, o tanong ka, nandito lang palagi ang Tito Ogie mo. Maghihintay lang ng tawag o text mo.

Boy Abunda is disappointed with Liza Soberano

Meanwhile, “King of Talk” Boy Abunda has also expressed his disappointment towards Soberano’s statements in her vlog. Aside from being a TV host, Abunda is also a talent manager.

In the February 28 episode of “Fast Talk With Boy Abunda,” the veteran TV host said his piece.

He admits, “Disappointed po ako doon sa vlog, I’m not disgusted but I am extremely disappointed with the vlog.”

He then starts speaking in the point of view of a talent manager:

May karapatan ba si Liza Soberano na magbago ng management, may karapatan ba si Liza Soberano na magbahagi ng kanyang nararamdaman? May karapatan ba si Liza Soberano na hawakan na ang kanyang karera? Ang kasagutan po sa lahat ng iyon ay oo. She has the right to do what she’s doing.”

Saan ako na-disappoint? Bilang manager at bilang fan; let me talk first as a manager. Kasi po may mga complaint siya doon na, ‘I had no voice, wala akong kinalaman, hindi ako tinatanong ng nangyayari sa aking karera, na I was working with three directors na paulit-ulit.Masakit pakinggan, kasi you are working with three [of the] best directors in this country.”

Among the directors that Soberano worked with were Cathy Garcia-Molina, Mae Cruz-Alviar, Richard Ibasco Arellano, Theodore Boborol, and Antoinette Jadaone.

Soberano did not name who the directors were. However, it was Garcia-Molina, Cruz-Alviar, and Arellano whom she has worked with the most in her teleseryes.

Abunda also expresses his disappointment as a fan of Soberano, saying that the girl speaking in the video was not the girl her people have become a fan of.

At bilang tagahanga, parang ang gusto kong sabihin, Liza ang hinangaan namin, hindi ikaw yon. For the last 13 years, yung hinangaan namin, hindi si Liza yun. Because you were saying in your vlog na ‘I had no say kung anong materyal, kung anong sasabihin ko.’ I don’t know the intent, I don’t know where she wants to go. Kung rebranding lang ito at redirection, medyo masakit, lalo na para sa aming mga managers.”

Journey in gratitude

Abunda also reminds Soberano that she can do a career change with gratitude.

“You can proceed with your career, you can redirect your career, pero sana you can journey in gratitude. Sana baon mo ang pagpapasalamat sa lahat ng mga nangyari at sa mga taong dumaan sa buhay mo at nakasama mo. Because you are where you are today, dahil sa mga taong tumulong sa iyo.”

He also adds: “Liza, lahat ng nangyari sa iyo, nothing is ever wasted. Lahat yan, magiging point of references mo. Do not disregard your past, do not disregard the 13 years na minahal ka ng fans mo. Do not disregard the hard work that your managers put into who you are today.”

In the end, Abunda reiterates the importance of gratitude. “You know, Liza, I love her. I love you, if you’re watching this, proceed with your career, whenever you want to go, in gratitude. You know what you should do, say thank you, because gratitude opens your heart and your life to more blessings.”

Liza Soberano is grateful

Meanwhile, in an interview with MJ Felipe, Soberano has answered the accusations of ungratefulness because of her statement.

She tells Felipe, “I feel like a lot of people have mixed reactions towards my vlog. But I’m speaking for my experiences and I will reiterate that I am truly grateful for everything that I had and everything that I had experienced, everything that I have achieved in life. And I acknowledge that I wouldn’t have any of that if everybody along the way wasn’t there with me.”

Soberano also says that she was never upset with how ABS-CBN and Ogie Diaz managed her career. She has seen Diaz’s vlog and agreed with what he said. But, she clarifies that she never said she did not like her screen name.

She explains, “When I mentioned that in my vlog, that was more of me just stating a fact. I never mentioned that I didn’t like the name ‘Liza Soberano’ or that I wasn’t proud of it. It’s just the fact that I wasn’t the one who chose my name because that’s one thing that a lot of people don’t know about me. I want to tell him that I’m very grateful for everything that he has contributed to me, personally and to my career. And I will always be grateful for that.”

What can she say about being called “inggrata” and “walang utang na loob?”

“I guess my video was really up for other people’s interpretation but I know my piece and I am very grateful. I’ve never felt to express that I feel; like before, even before I decided to sign for a new management company, I was always there for everybody who has helped me along the way and my journey. And even before, the number one thing I would always say to everyone is thank you, truly grateful. And that has not changed until now. I’m not upset about anything, I’m just stating facts, things I’ve experienced, things I’ve been through. And how I am moving forward for that.”

Banner Image Liza Soberano YouTube Channel
Banner Art Paulo Correa

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